Jon Chait points out the obvious: that Mitch McConnell secured an agreement from all Republican Senators to vote together on all procedural votes. The effect was that the Republicans agreed to act like a parliamentary party, with the baleful effects for American democracy I have described here. Since the tactic has proved so successful in the past two years, there's little reason to doubt that Senate Republicans will attempt to continue it for the foreseeable future, fundamentally changing how Congress works, at least until President Obama finds a way to fracture their coalition, or the Senate Democrats figure out that they need to change the Senate's filibuster and hold rules when the Senate reconvenes in early January.